Size & Layout
Adjust the physical footprint, padding, font scaling, and key organization of the keyboard to optimize for one-handed usage, thumb reach, and screen real estate.
info The 4-column layout, key layout mode and alternative characters describe the T9 grid, so they are hidden while QWERTY is the selected keyboard type. Your saved values are kept for when you switch back.
4-Column Layout
The 4-column layout toggle sits at the very top of Keyboard Config. It rearranges the keypad from the standard 3×4 grid into a compact 3-row grid with the special keys stacked in a right-hand column:
| Standard (3 × 4) | 4-column (4 × 3) |
|---|---|
1 2 3 | 1 2 3 * |
4 5 6 | 4 5 6 0 |
7 8 9 | 7 8 9 # |
* 0 # | — |
Every key keeps its behavior — * still holds Super Shortcut / Calculator, # still handles the Private Vault and delete/close — the grid is simply one row shorter. This frees vertical space for your app grid without shrinking the number keys.
In Super Shortcut Mode the 1–9 slots keep the same arrangement, with Cancel moving to the bottom-right corner where # normally sits.
info On the narrower 4-column keys, Auto layout mode defaults to Stacked. You can still force Side-by-side below if your screen is wide enough.
Keyboard Layout Modes
The Keyboard Layout option determines how letters and sub-labels are positioned on each key relative to the main numbers:
- Auto: The launcher automatically co-adjusts the key layout ratios based on your device screen aspect ratio and resolution.
- Side-by-side: Organizes sub-character labels (like ABC, DEF) next to the primary number on the key tile.
- Stacked: Places sub-character labels directly above or below the primary number, making numbers larger and more centered.
Font Scaling (Character Size)
- Setting: Keyboard Font Scale slider.
- Range: Adjusts the size of the characters on the key faces from 60% to 140% of their default size.
- Usage: Increase font scale if you have difficulty reading key labels; decrease it to keep the keys looking clean and minimal.
Show Alternative Characters
- Setting: Show Alternative Characters toggle.
- Behavior: When enabled, the number keys print the letters of your script underneath the digits — Cyrillic а-б-в-г, Greek α-β-γ, Arabic ا ب ت ث, Hebrew, Thai consonants, Devanagari, and so on.
- Which alphabet is drawn: the Secondary search language if you set one, otherwise the launcher language. The legend is generated from the same table the search uses, so what is printed on a key is exactly what that key matches.
- Matching keeps working whether the toggle is on or off — see How the T9 Keyboard Works.
info This is a T9-only setting; the QWERTY keyboard has real letter keys and hides it. For printing the digits on QWERTY letter keys, see Show Numbers on Letter Keys.
Hide Icons Under * 0
- Setting: Hide Icons Under * 0 # toggle.
- Behavior: The
*,0, and#keys normally print small hint icons showing what they do (calculator, Super Focus, vault / delete). Turn this on to strip those icons for a cleaner, purely numeric keypad. The keys keep working exactly the same — only the hints are hidden. - Best For: Users who already know the special keys by heart, and anyone running the 4-column layout where the special column is narrower.
Height Controls
You can choose between automatic scaling and manual height sizing:
- Automatic Height Toggle:
- ON: The system automatically computes the ideal height based on the device's screen height.
- OFF: Displays a Height Slider allowing you to override the default and scale the keyboard from 240dp up to the maximum safe computed height.
Additional Bottom Spacing (Bottom Padding)
Many modern Android devices use gesture-based navigation bars or have very thin bottom bezels, placing the lowest row of keyboard keys too close to the screen edge. This can lead to thumb fatigue or accidental home/back gestures.
- Setting: Keyboard Bottom Padding toggle & slider.
- Behavior:
- Toggling it ON introduces an empty safety padding space at the bottom of the keyboard (defaulting to 40dp).
- A slider will then appear, letting you adjust the safety margin anywhere between 10dp and 120dp.
- Benefit: Raises the entire keyboard upwards so your thumb sits at a natural ergonomic height, while avoiding collision with gesture bars.